Baltimore Beatdown
As the Baltimore Ravens prepare to begin making cuts to finalize their 53-man roster in the coming days, they’re faced with a number of difficult decisions. Throughout training camp and the preseason, fierce competitions have developed for several particular roster spots on the outside margins of some position groups.
On the defensive side of the ball especially, several unexpected young talents have emerged this summer and clouded the team’s depth chart clarity. The Ravens can obviously only keep a limited number of players on their final roster to begin the regular season and thus will have to cut a handful of individuals they otherwise would love to retain.
While this is an unfortunate reality, the fact that the Ravens find themselves in such a position speaks to their potency for identifying and developing unheralded talent. This is particularly true when it comes to undrafted free agent rookies. In all but one of the past 21 seasons, a UDFA has made the Ravens’ 53-man roster and this year will be no different. In fact, there could be two or three UDFAs that earn a spot for 2025.
Reuben Lowery and Keyon Martin, a pair of defensive backs whom the Ravens scooped up after the draft, have each had standout summer performances. Lowery has climbed the ladder at both cornerback and safety positions, while Martin’s playmaking in the preseason has made him a legitimate roster spot contender at the latter position.
While the unfortunate season-ending injuries to the Ravens’ late-round cornerback draft picks, Robert Longerbeam and Bilhal Kone, have certainly aided Lowery and Martin’s roster chances, they’ve each put themselves in good standing with their own play and consistency. They’ve played well enough to potentially leapfrog last year’s UDFA who made the team, safety Beau Brade, in the pecking order.
The same goes for inside linebacker Jay Higgins IV out of Iowa. Higgins has been a leading defensive performer in three preseason games, showcasing the skill set that made him a consensus All-American in college. He has a chance to be next in line in the franchise’s long history of UDFA linebackers to make the roster, which includes now-defensive coordinator Zach Orr and many others.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Ravens have had less room for bubble players to challenge for spots. However, rising sophomore Corey Bullock — an undrafted free agent himself last year — has been a big riser this summer as well. Bullock, who played at the University of Maryland, has seemingly leapfrogged other interior offensive lineman on the depth chart over the past several weeks.
Bullock has made a legitimate case to be the primary backup center to Tyler Linderbaum, as well as a capable backup offensive guard, ahead of drafted players like Nick Samac and Garrett Dellinger. He started all three preseason games and took snaps at both positions, highlighting his versatility.
Whether the Ravens ultimately have space to keep all of these aforementioned players on the final roster will soon be determined. However,...
